Location: 15 miles (24 km) North of York Map
Tel. 01653 648444
House: Open: Mar- Oct: 11am- 4pm daily
Grounds: 10am- 4:30pm daily
Entrance Fee: House: adults
£9.50, senior/ student £8.50, children £6.50
Grounds: adult
£6.50, children £4.50
Castle Howard is a magnificent Baroque country house located in the village of Henderskelfe, North Yorkshire, England, approximately 15 miles (24 km) north of York. Built between 1699 and 1712, it serves as the ancestral seat of the Carlisle branch of the Howard family and spans over 1,000 acres of parkland, including lakes, woodlands, and follies. Renowned for its grand architecture, opulent interiors, and sweeping landscapes, it is a Grade I listed building and a key example of early 18th-century English Baroque design. Owned by Castle Howard Estate Limited and managed by the Hon. Nicholas Howard and his wife Victoria, the estate has been in the family for over 300 years and attracts visitors for its historical depth, artistic treasures, and role in popular culture, including as a filming location for Brideshead Revisited and Bridgerton.
Origins and Construction
The estate's history dates to 1577 when
Lord William Howard, third son of the 4th Duke of Norfolk, married
Elizabeth Dacre, acquiring the Henderskelfe lands in Yorkshire alongside
Naworth Castle in Cumberland. The present house was commissioned in 1699
by Charles Howard, 3rd Earl of Carlisle, a diplomat and Grand Tour
enthusiast, who sought to create a palatial residence rivaling
Versailles. Construction began under the direction of
playwright-turned-architect Sir John Vanbrugh, with assistance from
Nicholas Hawksmoor, and continued until 1712, though interiors like the
Long Gallery were not completed until 1811. At its zenith under the 7th
Earl of Carlisle in the 19th century, the estate encompassed over 13,000
acres, including villages such as Welburn and Bulmer, and was served by
a dedicated railway station from 1845 to the 1950s.
Ownership,
Inheritance, and Challenges
The house remained a Howard family seat,
with inheritance passing matrilineally after the 9th Earl's death in
1911 to Geoffrey Howard, his fifth son. Later earls favored Naworth
Castle as their northern base, but Castle Howard endured as a symbol of
aristocratic life. Diarist Henry 'Chips' Channon noted in 1923 its
"decaying magnificence" amid vast galleries and libraries. A
catastrophic fire on 9 November 1940, during its use as a wartime girls'
school, gutted over 20 rooms, including the central dome, Great Hall,
dining room, and staterooms, destroying 20 paintings and several
mirrors. Post-war restoration, led by George Howard, reopened the house
to the public in 1952, with the dome rebuilt by 1962 and ceilings
recreated by artist Scott Medd. Ongoing conservation reflects the
family's commitment, including a 2009 ground-source heat recovery system
that halved heating costs.
Recent Developments
As of 2025, the
estate is undergoing a "21st Century Renaissance" project, restoring
fire-damaged areas like the Tapestry Drawing Room—rebuilt from bare
bricks by architect Francis Terry with original 1706 John Vanderbank
tapestries depicting the four seasons. This includes new ceilings,
floors, chimneys, and paneling, plus rehanging Grand Tour-era paintings
and revitalizing the 1870s grand staircase. An entire east wing remains
unrestored, prompting sales like the family's Fabergé collection.
Additionally, the 440-acre Bog Hall Habitat Bank initiative focuses on
rewilding for biodiversity over 30 years.
Castle Howard exemplifies English Baroque architecture, blending
grandeur with drama, designed primarily by Vanbrugh and Hawksmoor. The
H-shaped plan features a central block with a 70-foot (21 m) domed Great
Hall rising through three stories, flanked by symmetrical east and west
wings projecting along a north-south axis. The north entrance facade
uses Doric pilasters for a robust appearance, while the south garden
front employs Corinthian columns for elegance. Construction progressed
in phases: the East Wing (1701–1703), central block and dome
(1703–1706), and west garden front (1707–1709). Interiors boast opulent
Baroque details—gilded coronets, cherubs, urns, and cyphers—painted by
Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini, including the recreated dome ceiling
post-1940 fire.
Key rooms include the Great Hall with its
astronomical ceiling and marble columns; the Long Gallery (1811), a
120-foot (37 m) space for family portraits; and the Tapestry Drawing
Room, now restored with period furnishings. The West Wing, started in
the 1730s by Sir Thomas Robinson in contrasting Palladian style, was
completed in 1811 by Charles Heathcote Tatham. The fire left the East
Wing as a roofed shell, preserving its skeletal drama for visitors.
Modern adaptations, like the heat recovery system beneath the lake,
blend sustainability with heritage.
The 1,000-acre estate is a masterpiece of landscape design, evolving
from formal Baroque gardens to an English landscape park. South of the
house, terraced formal gardens exploit the ridge's topography, with
lakes on either side and vistas framed by follies. Key features include
the Temple of the Four Winds (1728–1731, by Vanbrugh), a domed pavilion
symbolizing the winds; the Mausoleum (1728–1730, by Hawksmoor), a
neoclassical tomb for the Howards; and the Obelisk (1714), a 72-foot (22
m) Egyptian-style monument. Ray Wood, an ancient woodland east of the
house, features restored 18th-century walls and diverse plantings, while
the Walled Garden hosts ornamental roses and borders.
Other follies
dot the grounds: The Pyramid (restored 2015), Carrmire Gate, and
monuments in Pretty Wood like Hawksmoor's Four Faces. The 127-acre
Yorkshire Arboretum, managed by a charitable trust, showcases global
tree collections. The estate's scale historically supported
self-sufficiency, with villages and farms, and today emphasizes
conservation, including dog-friendly trails and biodiversity projects.
Castle Howard holds immense cultural value as Britain's finest
Baroque stately home, influencing landscape architecture and
aristocratic patronage. Its Grade I listing extends to gardens and
structures, though some, like follies, appear on the Heritage at Risk
Register. Filming has amplified its fame: as Brideshead in the 1981 ITV
series and 2008 film of Brideshead Revisited; Clyvedon Castle in
Bridgerton (2020–); and in Barry Lyndon (1975), The Buccaneers (1995),
and Lady L (1965). These portrayals highlight its timeless allure,
blending opulence with melancholy.
Preservation is family-led through
Castle Howard Estate Limited, with National Heritage Lottery funding
aiding restorations. The 2025 renovations enhance accessibility to
hidden gems, reinforcing its role in education and tourism while
addressing climate challenges via rewilding.
As of September 22, 2025, Castle Howard is open daily, with gardens
and the Skelf Island Adventure Playground from 10am (9am for members),
and the house from 10am through October, transitioning to Christmas
dressings in November–January. Ticket prices are available on the
official website; entry supports conservation. Highlights include
exploring fire-restored rooms, film locations, and 1,000 acres of
grounds with statues, temples, and lakes—ideal for autumn walks.
Events feature Halloween festivities and a full calendar online. The
estate won the 2025 Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award, offering
mobility aids, wheelchair access, and sensory guides. Luxurious cottages
provide stays, and the site is dog-friendly in outdoor areas. Managed as
a VisitEngland Quality Assured attraction, it balances public access
with private residence, ensuring the Howard legacy endures.
Castle Howard was the location of the feature film Barry Lyndon and
the TV and cinema productions of Brideshead Revisited. It features as
the fictional Carlyle Castle in the film Garfield 2. Castle Howard was
also used as an important filming location in the television series
Bridgerton.
Castle Howard's interiors portrayed those of
Kensington Palace in the television series Victoria.